Saturday, 23 January 2010

According to the Bureau of Meteorology's latest info, Cyclone Olga is now heading West North West, which was probably a typo. However the cyclone tracking map from BOM says that the system is expected to move West South West.

The Bureau said that Cyclone Olga, now a Category 1, was about 490 kilometres east of Cairns and 495 kilometres northeast of Townsville, moving west southwest at 22 kilometres per hour while intensifying.

Here's the Bureau of Meteorology's advice...

A Cyclone WATCH has been declared for coastal areas from Cape Melville toLucinda.

At 10:00 am EST Tropical Cyclone Olga, Category 1 was estimated to be490 kilometres east of Cairns and 495 kilometres northeast of Townsvillemoving west southwest at 22 kilometres per hour while intensifying.

Tropical Cyclone Olga formed in the Coral Sea overnight and is currently movingwestward towards the coast while intensifying. Gales are not expected on theeast Queensland coast within 24 hours, however gales may develop late Sunday asthe centre nears the coast.

People between Cape Flattery and Cardwell should consider what action they willneed to take if the cyclone threat increases. If you are unsure about theactions to be taken, information is available from your local government orlocal State Emergency Service.

The meteorically bureau at the Cairns Airport told CairnsBlog this morning that the BOM map was best according to person who had to plot the dots into a map, whereas there may be a simple transcription error, of WSW, instead of WNW.

Is that the best they can do?

WSW would mean a crossing about Cardwell, a crossing WNW puts a coastal crossing just north of Cairns.

Look out for the upgrade to Category 2 over the next 6 hours.

Peter, a CairnsBlog reader, just emailed me to say that boat owners are in for a busy time in the next 24 hours. "A helluva a lot if you are in Cairns and having to make a lot of movement and move boats upriver against the tide, and all the 100mm of freshwater that fell overnight!"

Also, I cannot confirm the rumour that the Bureau of Meteorology wanted to call this one Cyclone Cairns Community Radio.

4:50pm UPDATE:

8:00pm UPDATE:

Now 335 kilometres east northeast of Cairns and 400 kilometres north northeast ofTownsville moving west at 18 kilometres per hour while intensifying.

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